Timur

A thorny shrub whose fruit gives a citrusy, tongue-numbing “Nepali pepper” – indispensable in achar pickles and momo sauces.

A thorny, spreading shrub or small tree of the rue family, growing up to 6 m tall, with pinnate, aromatic leaves on winged stalks. Its small yellowish flowers are borne in panicles and develop into round red fruits that split open when dry to reveal shiny black seeds. The spice is mainly the fruit husk, which contains compounds that cause tingling and a slight numbness of the tongue, like the related Sichuan pepper. The fruit and bark are also used in folk medicine.

Significance in the country

Timur is a signature spice of Nepalese cooking – it is added to achar pickles, momo sauces and potato dishes. Gathered mainly in the mid-western hills, it is an important source of income for mountain families and is exported to India and other countries.

Where it grows

Scrub and field edges in the middle hills at about 1,000–2,500 m; most abundant in the districts of Salyan, Rukum, Jajarkot, Surkhet and Pyuthan and in the far west.

More: Wikipedia (en)